David Jaggard
Sign of the Weeque 17.06.15
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque I think I know why this store on Rue Rochechouart went out of business. The name is okay, but the motto doesn’t quite achieve what one would call commercial appeal. Let’s see — what … Read More
Love Locks in Paris: When a Clingy Relationship Becomes a Burden
This Used to Be the Place to Hook Up and Hang Out
Try this: on any busy city street, stop passers-by at random and ask them, “Where is the world capital of love?” If you are a woman, most of the guys will say, “Under the blue light in my bedroom, baby!” … Read More
Sign of the Weeque 10.06.15
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Spotted by reader PK Munroe. A crapoteur is someone who smokes tobacco without inhaling. I have no experience in these matters, but it seems to me that this would render an electronic cigarette entirely … Read More
Sign of the Weeque 03.06.15
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Spotted by me AND reader Pierre Tran, apparently on the same day. Photo by Pierre, who’s a better photographer. Sometimes Paris shop owners obviously don’t know, or don’t care, what their signs mean in … Read More
Sign of the Weeque 27.05.15
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Thanks to reader Margie Rubin. It’s an all-too-familiar problem: food that somehow seems bare, uncovered, overly exposed. That draws shocked stares from passers-by. Well, there’s good news from the Paris fashion industry: as long … Read More
Sizing Up Life in France: How I (Almost) Mastered the Metric System
It Really Is Engraved in Stone
When I moved from the United States to France 30-some-odd years ago, I had to learn a lot of things. Like to cross my sevens, to call 4pm “16 hours” and to plug my ears on Métro line 13 between … Read More
Sign of the Weeque 27.05.15 (2)
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Thanks to reader Margie Rubin. It’s an all-too-familiar problem: food that somehow seems bare, uncovered, overly exposed. That draws shocked stares from passers-by. Well, there’s good news from the Paris fashion industry: as long … Read More
Sign of the Weeque 20.05.15
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Spotted by reader Margie Rubin. There’s kind of a lot going on here. It’s not “The,” but rather “Le” Spicy Home. And it’s not a “home,” even in the sense of “home-away-from-home,” but rather … Read More
Are the French Really Rude? A Myth Shattered — and Reassembled
They’re Polite Enough... To Each Other
Despite what many foreigners seem to think, French people are not rude. Not all of them — France has the same proportion of aggressive, selfish jerks as any other country in the world. The only difference is that here they … Read More
Sign of the Weeque 13.05.15
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque That’s “phony” as in “telephony.” Which is not such a common word in English, and therefore doesn’t make such a good store name. But at least they made an honest effort. David Jaggard Have … Read More